Door latch



April 8, 1941. R. c. GRUBB 2.237.817

DOOR LATCH w Filed Feb.. 1'7, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l -5Z y/z/ INVENTOR.

ROBERT C. GRUBB.

//7 A TTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 8, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE noon LATCH Robert C. Grubb, San Francisco, Calif. I Application February 11, 1939, Serial No. 256,900

11 Claims.

My invention relates to door latches and more particularly to the type employed on doors of automotive vehicles.

"It is an object of my invention to provide an improved door latch (1) Which will'flrmly hold a door in tightengagement with its jamb or frame,

(2) Which will provide such a firm engagement between thedoor and the door jamb as to prevent rattling, v I

(3) Which will permit opening and closing a door without the exercise of objectional amount of effort, V

(4) Which will relieve the door hinges of the load ordinarily placed thereon by the tendency of a door to sag,

(5) Which may be combined into a unitary assembly with a locking means in the door of a vehicle, and 4 (6) Which shall be simple in construction an involving but a few parts.

Additional objects or my invention will be pointed out in the following description of the same taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein I Fig. 1 is a view illustrating a door latch assembly mounted in the door of a vehicle and showing the relationship to the inner and outer operative controls on the door.

Fig. 2 is a view in section along the line 2-2 of Fig, 1 exposing the arrangementof-elements connection with the doors of automotive vehicles such latches have been utilized as a device independent of the lock on the door, usually being applied to the jamb and at some distance below the door lock. Where employed as the sole means for holding a door in closed position, such toggle means were incapable of being locked to preclude unauthorized opening of thedoor.

In accordance with the teachings of my invention, I depart from the use of any toggle devices for the purpose of latching-the door to its jamb. Latches based upon toggle action are subject to wear resulting in looseness in the parts and the corresponding loss of efliciency, as such types of construction do not embody any means for compensatlng for wear which inevitably occurs during use. I accordingly have developed a latching mechanism incorporating in its action the prinin the unlocked condition of the latching mechanism. I

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the elements in the locked condition of the latching mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a view taken along the lined- 4 of Fig. 2 showing the keeperin the act of opening.

Fig. 8 is a view in perspective of the wedge members of the keeper.

All the figures are substantially to scale.

The prior art with which I am familiar discloses that many attempts have been made to provide latching mechanisms for accomplishing results corresponding'to the objects of my invention as set forth above. These for the most part involve toggle latches and where employed in ciples of the wedge, which type of construction not only provides an exceedingly firm grip but enables compensation for any wear which might develop in the course of its use, thus to maintain highly efficient operation throughout the useful life of the device. 7

My invention not only contemplates a latching mechanism based on a wedging action, but also contemplates incorporating such latching mechanism into a unitary assembly construction with the door lock whereby the latching mechanism .may be directly locked into its latching position, resulting in a'simplified lock construction and eliminating the necessity for employing an independent latching mechanism at. some point on the door jamb below the door lock, as has been the practice followed by others in the past.

Referring to the drawings; the latching mechanism comprisesa base plate I formed with a lateral flange 3, a notch 5 being provided at a location along the junction of the base plate and the flange to provide an entrance for the reception of a striker 1. 'Such striker in accordance with the embodiment of my invention illustrated, will constitute a cylindrical bolt securely anchored in the door jamb 9. The base plate I and flange I will be aflixed to the 'door II with the base plate in the plane of the inner surface of the door and the flange lying flush against the front edge of the door at an elevation to receive the striker, when the door is in its closed position.

Anchored to the base plate I, in line with the slot 5, are a pair of casing bolts l3 each having I applied thereto a roller bearing I5 resting against the inside surface of the base plate.

A latch bolt ll of substantially rectangular form has a pair of slots I! provided therethrough latch bolt. The latch bolt is formed with an upturned edge 2| facing the striker receiving notch 5.

Meshing with the rear end and lower edge of the latch bolt, is an L-shaped member 23, the longer side of which lies adjacent the lower edge of the latch bolt. This L-shaped member is 1 formed with a toe by which it is pivotably anchored in a notch provided in the rear edge of the latch bolt. The latch bolt and L-shaped member are of the same thickness and consequently their surfaces lie in the same planes.

A lever 21 of the first class is pivoted at an intermediate point to a pivot pin 29 located on the latch bolt near its lower edge and intermediate the slots I9, formed in the latch bolt. This lever is supported by the pivot pin 29 adjacent 2 the surface of the latch bolt in a substantially horizontal direction and overlaps the adjacent long arm ofthe L-shaped member 23. Adjacent its forward end, that is, the end facing the flange 3, there is formed in the lower edge of the lever 21, a notch 3| which is adapted to engage a pin 33 affixed to the L-shaped member adjacent its forward end.

The lever 21 is normally urged into position to effect such engagement between the notch 3| and the pin 33 on the L-shaped member, by a spring actuated lever 35 of the third class, of arcuate shape lying against the surface of the L-shaped member and bearing against the lever 21 at a point to the rear of its pivot or fulcrum point 29. This lever of the third class has a flange.3'| engaging the rear edge of the L-shaped member, which flange is bent to enter a notch 39 formed therein to constitute a fulcrum for the lever 35.

A spring 4| which actuates the aforementioned levers 21 and 35, is of the coil spring type, anchored at its internal end 43 to the base plate and having its external or free end 45 in spring pressure engagement against the flange 31 of the arcuate shaped lever 35.

A casing 41 having side walls 49, 5|, 53 etc., is adapted to fit over the assembly thus far described, and receive the casing bolts, whereby to be bolted to the base plate by the. application of nuts to these bolts. The side walls 49, 5| of the 5 casing closely engage the upper edge of the latch bolt l1 and the lower edge of the L-shaped member 23 holding them against separation, and acting as a guide to control proper functioning of these elements.

The forward edge 55 of the L-shaped member is adapted to be abutted by a roll back 5 1,rotatably supported in the base plate I and casing 41 by an integrally formed boss 59, which is provided with a square opening therethrough to receive the shank 6| of an outside door handle 63. This door handle connection enables rotation of the roll back 51 into engagement with the opposing edge 55 of the L-shaped member to bring about a rearward sliding motion thereof against the action of the spring 4|, such rearward sliding action being guided by the side wall 5| of the casing.

In view of the fact that the lever 21 is normally maintained in interlocking engagement 75 with the L-shaped member by reason of the notch and pin engagement, the rearward motion of the L-shaped member, in response to rotation of the roll back, will be transmitted through the lever 21 and its pivot pin 29 to the latch bolt I'I, resulting in the latch bolt being moved in like manner. Upon releasing the handle 63, the coil spring 4| will serve to restore the latch bolt and the L-shaped member to the positions which they occupied prior to being acted on by the roll back, and such return movement of the L-shaped member will in turn, restore the roll back and handle to their normal positions.

The mechanism thus far described, enables th outside door handle control of the latch bolt, and

disregarding for the moment, theadditional construction illustrated'in detail in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, attention will be directed to the construction of Figs. 4, 5 and 7, wherein is illustrated the keeper mechanism and its manner of cooperation with the latch bolt in the operation of the latch mechanism.

This keeper mechanism functions on the principle of a wedge as previously mentioned at the beginning of this description, and comprises a combined keeper housing and guide 65 attached to the inner-surface of the flange 3 at the location of the slot, the combined keeper housing and guide being provided with a V-shaped notch 61 in line with the slot 5, and having its widest end adjacent the junction of the flange 3, and the base plate I. Guide channels 69 are formed in the housing, each channel opening into one of the edges H of the V-shaped notch and having a guide surface 13 running in a direction parallel to the other edge of the V-shaped notch.

The V-shaped notch is adapted to slidablyreceive a pair of opposed cooperating wedge members I5 having corresponding interlocking guide extensions 11. Each of the wedge members has a sloping edge 19 in slidable engagement with one of the edges of the V-shaped notch, with its interlocking extension 11 extending beyond the other wedge member into one of the guide channels 69, and terminating in a sloping edge 8| to effect a sliding engagement with guide surface 13 of the channel into which it extends. The opposing edges 83 of the wedge members are substantially parallel, and are provided with arcuate opposing notches having a curvature corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the striker I.

A U-shaped spring 85 having its ends engaging suitable pins 81 affixed to the faces of the wedge members, exerts a continual spreading force on the wedge members, tending to maintain them at the maximum separation permitted by the sloping notch, will be such as to drive the wedge elements toward the apex with sufficient force to tightly wedge or jam them securely about the striker.

From Fig. 4, it will be noted that the upturned end or flange 2| of the latch bolt I! will be in spring pressure engagement against the faces of the wedge members 15 prior to entrance of the striker 1 into the notch 5 and during the initial bers.

portion of its passage between the wedge mem- As the striker reaches its maximum extent of travel at which portion of its movement, the wedge members will .have securely wedged themselves against the striker, the wedge members will have been moved sufficiently toward the apex of the notch to permit of the flange II of the latch bolt moving in behind the rear edges of the wedge members 15. The rear edges of the wedge members are beveled as indicated at 89, and as such, facilitate movement of the latch bolt flange 2| behind the wedge members. Not

only is the movement of the latch bolt flangewedging eifect of the wedge members upon the.

striker. It will be apparent, furthermore, that such additional wedging ellect will serve to compensate for any wear of the parts, although the construction of the keeper is such as to provide large bearing surfaces, and the possibility of the parts wearing to such a degre as to impair operation is thereby essentially avoided.

On the face of each of the wedge members, there is aflixed a guide block 9| having an edge adapted to ride upon a side edge 03 of the upturned flange 2| of the latch bolt which has been sloped to provide guide surfaces for the guide blocks, the function of which is to assure positive separation of the wedge members to their maximum separation upon withdrawal of the latch bolt.

From, the description of my invention thus far, it will be noted that with the door in its open position, the wedge members will occupy their maximum spaced positions and the latch bolt will be in spring pressure engagement against the faces of the wedge members. Upon closing or slamming the door, the striker will enter the slot and pass between the wedge members into moving engagement against the interlocking wedge member extensions, forcing the wedge members toward the apex of the V-shaped notch into tight wedging engagement against the striker. The wedge members have by this time moved sufiiciently away from the base'plate to permit the spring pressed latch bolt to move in behind the wedge members and hold such members in their maximum wedge engagement with the striker, thus effecting a very tight engagement inside handle 93 through an inside handle control link 95 which is pivoted at one end to the end of a short crank 81 attached to the shaft of theinside handle within the door proper. This connecting link extends through an opening in the rear wall 53 of the casing. The portion extending into the casing is formed with a pin engaging end 99, adapted upon retraction by the movement of the inside handle, to engage a. pin IN on the latch bolt and thereby effect movement of the latch bolt to the rear, thus accomplishing the same movement of the latch bolt as Locking of the door is effected by forceably withholding the lever 21. out of engagement with the pin 33 on the L-shaped member, thus breaking the connection between the L-shaped mem-- her and the latch bolt. Operation of the roll back then", merely serves to slide the L-shaped member to the rear against the action of the coil spring 4| without transferring any portion of this movement to the latch bolt.

The lever'is maintained in such disconnected position by a cam member I03 terminating in a hook-shaped end I05. This cam member is pivoted at its other end about an eccentric I01 journaled in an extension I09 to the casing, below the rollback. Such eccentric has attached thereto a holding plate III in contact with the'cam member I03, such holding plate having a bent .over tab II; adapted, during rotation of the eccentric I01, to abut against shoulders H5, H1 formed in the cam member to impart a swing component of motion to the cam member, in addition to that imparted by the eccentric I01.

Rotation of the eccentric may be accomplished from the inside of a vehicle, by an inside look control H9 having a square shank I2I extending centric I01 either from the inside by means of the' inside look control H9 or from the outside by means of a key.

The hooked end I05 of the cam member I03 is so shaped that during the movement imparted thereto by rotation of eccentric I01 and abutment of the bent tab II3 against one of the shoulders, it will lift the lever 21 out of engagement withpin 33 of the L-shaped member during the initial portion of its movement, and during the latter portion of its movement will abut against a lug I21 formed integral with the casing 41, which lug, in turn will urge the hooked end of the cam member in the direction of the lever 21 to engage a hook I20 formed at the'end thereof for the purpose. The interengagement of the hooked end of the cam member I03 and the lever 21 is clearly r: illustrated in Fig. 3 and determines the locked condition of the latching'mechanism, for in such condition, the connection between the L-shaped member and the latch bolt has, been effectively broken, and turning of the outside handle 63 of the door cannot impart any movement to the latch bol-tv It is noted in this connection however, that while the outside handle control has thus been disabled, the inside handle control has not been effected, and the door'may still be opened from. the inside, in spite of the fact thatit rotation of the roll back 51 in reponse to turn ing of the outside door handle 63.

ner just described can also be effected from an may have been locked from the outside.

It will be apparent in the above description of my invention that I have provided a construction which is quite simple when compared to other devices calculated to realize the same results, and that the construction as described by me requires but a minimum number of springs thus reducing the possibility of trouble to a minimum. It will further be apparent that the conand described except as may be necessitated by the prior art and appended claims.

I claim:

1. Door latch mechanism comprising a base plate having a lateral flange, said base plate and flange being notched at the junction thereof to provide for entrance of a striker, cooperating wedge members normally spaced to receive said striker therebetween, a guide block having angularly disposed guideway surfaces fitting said wedges and determining the spacing thereof, said wedges being'directly movable along said guideway surfaces but in the same direction with said striker after reception thereof between said wedges to force said wedges into a tight wedging engagement between said guideway members'and said striker.

2. Door latch mechanism comprising a base plate having a lateral flange, said base plate and flange being notched at the junction thereof to provide for entrance of a striker, a pair of cooperating wedge members normally spaced to receive said striker and actuable by such striker upon entrance of such striker between said cooperating wedge members, guide means adjacent said flange for guiding the movement of said wedge members to bring themintowedging engagement with such striker when said wedgev members are actuated by such striker, and means following the wedging of such striker between said wedge members, for exerting pressure upon said wedge members in a direction to effect and maintain an even tighter wedging effect of said wedge members upon such striker.

3. A keeper for door latch mechanism, comprising a guide block having a V-shaped notch with its wide end lying in one edge of said guide block, a pair of spaced wedge members in said notch each having an edge in sliding engagement with an edge of said notch, another edge cooperating with a corresponding edge of the other wedge member to receive a striker in wedging engagement between said wedge members when urged by and with said striker toward the narrow end of said notch, and spring means contlnually tending to separate said wedge members.

4. A keeper for door latch mechanism, comprising a guide block having a V-shaped notch in one edge thereof, and a guide channel opening into each of the edges of said V-shaped notch and having a guide surface running parallel to the other edge of said V-shaped notch, a pair of spaced wedge members in said .notch having cross-interlocking extensions, each of said wedge members having an edge in sliding engagement with an edge of said notch and its interlocking extension in slidable engagement in the guide channel having the parallel guide surface, and another edge of each wedge member, cooperating with a corresponding edge of the other wedge member to receive a striker in wedging engagement between said wedge members when urged toward the narrow end of said notch. 5. A keeper for door latch mechanism, comprising a guide block having a V-shaped notch in one edge thereof, and a guide channel opening into each of the edges of said V-shaped notch and having a guide surface running parallel to theother edge of said V-shapd notch, a pair of spaced wedge members in said notch having cross-interlocking extensions, each of said wedge members having an edge in sliding engagement with an edge of said notch and its interlocking extension in slidable engagement in the guide channel having the parallel guide surface, and

another edge of each wedge member cooperating with a corresponding edge of the other wedge member to receive a striker in wedging engagement between said wedge members when urged toward the narrow end of said notch each of said wedge members also having that edge, facing the wide end of said V-shaped notch, bevelled.

6. Door latch mechanism comprising a base plate having a lateral flange, said base plate and flange being notched at the junction thereof to provide for entrance of a striker, a guide block supported by said lateral flange and having a V-shaped notch in an edge thereof, with the wide end of said V-shaped notch spanning the notched junction of said base and flange, and a pair of cooperating wedge members each having a surface in sliding engagement with one of the edges in said guide block formed by said V-shaped notch and normally spaced with respect to each other to receive said striker therebetween, said wedge members having integral portions extending into the normal entering path of said striker, whereby cooperating wedge members are directly actuable into a tight-wedging engagement with said striker during movement of said striker along said path.

7. Door latch mechanism comprising a base plate having a lateral flange, said base plate and flange being notched at the junction thereof to provide for entrance of a striker, a guide block immovably supported by said lateral flange with respect thereto and having a V-shaped notch in an edge thereof, with the wide end of said V- shaped notch spanning the notched junction of said base and flange, and a pair of cooperating wedge members each having a surface in sliding engagement with one of the edges in said guide block formed by said V-shaped notch and normally spaced with respect to each other to receive said striker therebetween, said wedge members having integral portions extending into the normal entering path of said striker, whereby said cooperating wedge members are directly actuable into a tight non-resilient wedging engagement with said striker during movement of said striker along said path.

8. Door latch mechanism comprising a base plate having a lateral flange, said base plate and.

flange being notched at the junction thereof to provide for entrance of a striker, a guide block supported by said lateral flange and having a V-shaped notch in an edge thereof, with the wide end of said V-shaped notch spanning the notched junction of said base and flange, a pair of cooperating wedge members each having a surface in sliding engagement with one of the edges in said guide block formed by said V -shaped notch and normally spaced with respect to each other to receive said striker therebetween, said wedge members having integral portions extending in the normal entering path of said striker, whereby said cooperating wedge members are urged along by said striker in the direction of movement thereof until said wedge members develop a tight wedging engagement with said striker, and positive means for maintaining said wedge members in such wedging engagement with said striker.

9. Door latch mechanism comprising a base plate having a lateral flange, said base plate and flange being notched at the junction thereof to provide for entrance of a striker, a guide block supported by said lateral flange and having a V-shaped notch in an edge thereof with the wide end of said V-shaped notch spanning the notched junction of said base and flange, a pair of coop.-

2,237,817 erasing wedge members each having a surface in sliding engagement with one of the edges in said guide block formed by said V-shaped notch and normally spaced with respect to each other to receive said striker therebetween, said wedge members having integral portions extending in the normal entering path 01' said striker, whereby said cooperating wedge members are urged along bi? said striker in the direction of movement thereof until said wedge members develop a tight wedging engagement with said striker. and 'positive means for maintaining said wedge members in such wedging engagement with said striker comprising a latch bolt mounted on the base plate and slidable into fitting engagement with the rear edges oi! said wedge members when such wedge mgliibdm are in wedging engagement with said at 1 i er 10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein opposing edges of said wedges adjacent the path oi said striker are parallel and are provided with opposing notches having a contour corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the striker.

11. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein a latch member is provided frictional-1y bearing against the side oi both wedges when said wedges are in other than wedging positions against said striker, said latch member being resiliently urged to a position between said base plate and said wedges when said wedges are in wedging position said striker to lock said wedges. and unig means for moving said latch member lateraliy to free said wedges.

ROBERT C. GRUBB. 

